The Relocation Process

1) Participant submits notice to landlord in accordance to lease required time frame (FWHS recommends a 60-day notice); provide Housing Counselor with a copy of the notice.
2) Landlord is required to provide Housing Counselor a completed Affidavit of Damages/Unpaid Rent stating participant is in good standing with any payments owed and no damage done to property. The tenant must also sign the document.
3) Once both required documents have been received, the participant will be notified in writing of an appointment to attend a voucher briefing. Participant should be prepared to bring current income verification information and the complete updated Tenant Information package.
4) Participant will be issued voucher along with moving package.
5) Once participant has found housing, the landlord must complete Request for Tenancy (RFTA) form in its entirety and submit all required landlord documentation.
6) Once all documents are completed they should be submitted to the Housing Choice Voucher department for processing. Staff will process unit affordability to ensure that participant is not paying more than 30% of annual adjusted income.
7) If unit is affordable, landlord will be contacted to provide an estimated Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and estimated tenant portion. Request for an inspection to be scheduled will be submitted to the inspection team. If unit is not affordable, landlord and participant will be contacted by FWHS to see if landlord is willing to lower proposed rent to an affordable amount.

**PARTICIPANT SHOULD NOT MOVE IN AT THIS TIME OR SIGN A LEASE**

If the landlord agrees to lower proposed rent to make unit affordable, the landlord will be required to submit in writing the agreement to lower rent to include, unit address, new rental amount and participant’s name. Once the letter is received, landlord and participant will be provided the estimated HAP and estimated Tenant portion. Request for an inspection will be submitted to the inspection team. If the landlord does not agree to lower proposed rent, participant will be mailed a new RFTA.

**Search Process Starts Again**

8) Affordable unit will be submitted to inspection team. Inspection team member will contact landlord to schedule time and date for Housing Quality Standards Inspection.

Passed Inspection –Inspector will complete inspection paperwork, and fair market rental comparisons will be completed to ensure fair market rent is being charged. If unit is comparable, the inspection team will provide final documents to the Housing Counselor who will then contact the landlord and participant to arrange lease start date and lease end date. Participant can now move in based on the effective lease date.** Note: Lease dates, contract rental amount and HAP contract dates and contract rent must coincide. **

Failed Inspection – Inspector will notify landlord of deficiencies. The inspector will provide landlord with a proper allotted time frame to correct deficiencies depending on type of deficiency that is required to be corrected.

9) A FWHS Housing Counselor will process HAP contract and contact landlord and participant informing them of the HAP portion and participant portion, if any. HAP contract will be mailed to landlord for review and signature. HAP contract should be read, signed and returned along with a copy of signed lease.
10) Payments will be released for next check run to be mailed to the landlord. Direct Deposit participation by landlords is mandatory after account information is verified by the bank.